Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with a device that is mounted on a swimmer's wrist and worn by the swimmer while in the water.
Swimming has long been recognized as one of the most demanding and competitive sports in the world. Over the years, a variety of swimming aids have been developed and used by swimmers to train and improve swim performance. Such aids have been designed with the goal of increasing the swimmer's swim stroke efficiency and improving stroke technique and power.
Most swimming aids work on the underlying principle that increased resistance during the swim stroke will result in increased stroke power and therefore improve performance. In essence, performance improves as the swimmer's ability to push water backwards along a line pursued by the swimmer's body increases. Thus, the faster a swimmer can pull his hand through the swim stroke cycle, the greater his speed in the water.
Still other training techniques attempt to improve the swimmer's swim stroke efficiency by developing the swimmer's ability to move water with long, powerful swim strokes to propel the swimmer forward. On the one hand, efficiency depends on a variety of swim techniques such as hand positioning, arm motion, hand pull and body rotation among others. On the other hand, factors such as the number of strokes taken as a function of distance, average stroke cycle rate, velocity, and elapsed time also play a big part in defining the efficient swim stroke.
Whether a swimmer desires to increase swim stroke technique or swim stroke efficiency, there are currently no readily available low cost diagnostic and training tools to allow the swimmer to determine, monitor, and analyze his or her performance.
While prior art methods exist to test and analyze swim performance, such methods are normally reserved for the elite swimmers who are invited to train or practice at multi-million dollar training centers in preparation for national or international events. Such centers use sophisticated and expensive training equipment including swimming treadmills, video recorders, computers and enhanced timing systems. Thus, there are no known simple and cost effective diagnostic tools for use by the up and coming athlete in training or for the recreational and fitness swimmer.
Another prior art method, such as that used by the International Center for Aquatic Research, involves filming swimmers underwater to obtain the individual swimmer's distance per stroke and turnover rate (strokes per minute). The equipment, facilities and staff are provided for coaches and swimmers during competition to allow the swimmer to make adjustments in swim technique. As with other prior art methods, the up and coming athlete or recreational swimmer does not normally have the resources or access to such methods and equipment.
Prior devices have been developed and used by swimmers for training and conditioning purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,643 to Schoofs describes a hand paddle made out of plastic materials or hard rubber which the swimmer can wear on his hands to develop a stronger swim stroke. Another prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,233 to Hannula wherein a swimming training paddle is described having a textured leading surface which captures water and permits the swimmer to increase swim stroke power.
While these prior methods are designed to develop swim stroke force and increase power, such devices do not allow the swimmer to gauge his progress by determining a swimmer's stroke rate and stroke time as a function of a particular technique used or distance swam. Until the present invention, the average swimmer was unable to obtain accurate swim stroke time and stroke rate information. Furthermore, until the present invention, the average swimmer had no indication as to whether a particular swim technique was efficient in terms of increasing swim speed and getting the most out of each stroke. A device that allows a swimmer to identify the variables which manufacture swim speed is in great demand.
Thus, there currently is a need for an easy to use and inexpensive device for measuring, analyzing and viewing analytical and quantitative information regarding a swimmer's stroke. There is also a need for such a device that permits the swimmer to determine average swim stroke cycle rates and times as a function of the distance swam. Such a method and device would allow swimmers to gauge their swim stroke and make corresponding adjustments in technique.
Likewise, a need exists for a device that determines the number of strokes taken by a swimmer as a function of distance and elapsed time. Furthermore, there is a need for a device that is inexpensive and available to swimmers of all skill levels and ages. A device that can be mounted to the swimmer's wrist or other body part during the swim exercise, but does not interfere with proper swim stroke form or interrupt swim motion during the exercise would fill the niche left open by prior art training devices and methods.